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With the news this weekend that the Ravens have asked Anquan Boldin to take a pay cut – and the conflicting reports of whether or not Boldin has rejected their proposal – opinions have been flying around Baltimore regarding number 81.

Tony Lombardi gave his take here, while Kris Jones offered this counterpoint.

One guy who is on the “keep Q” side of the fence is Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

“Without him, we don’t win the Super Bowl. He’s a huge part of this team and someone I want to see back,” Flacco, who signed a six-year, $120.6 million contract this offseason, told USA Today Sports. “Obviously, when you’re a player of his caliber, you believe you’re worth a number and that’s what you should get. He’s going to stick to his guns, and that’s the way it should be.”

One has to believe that Joe fully realizes the value of his connection with Boldin, which was on full display after the departure of former offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, and especially during the team’s Super Bowl run.

At his press conference announcing his contract extension, Flacco said that, “I love to play with [my teammates], so hopefully it works out very good for the organization and we can keep as many people as I need.” It isn’t far-fetched to imagine that Boldin was at the front of his mind when he said that. As much as I’m sure Joe would like to see guys like Dannell Ellerbe back, keeping Boldin and say, Bryan McKinnie probably takes precedent for the quarterback.

Citing a source with knowledge of the situation, ProFootballTalk reported on Saturday that Boldin’s chances of staying with the Ravens are “50-50.” An obviously torn Boldin has expressed sentiments that don’t mesh with those of sourced reports, raising suspicion that his agent wants him to hit the market in search of a better deal.

If this is indeed the case, Ravens fans hope that Boldin tells his agent to go take a long walk off a short pier. Unfortunately, this is the business side of football, which doesn’t always work out the way fans would prefer.

Hopefully Boldin and the team can come to an agreement soon. All the hand-waving in the world about why the team might be OK WITHOUT “Q” doesn’t change the fact that they will certainly be at least a bit better WITH him.

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About Derek Arnold

RSR/ESR Senior Editor. Derek is originally from and a current resident of Pasadena, MD. He’s a graduate of UMBC and has been a lifelong Baltimore sports fan. In 2007 he founded B’More Birds’ Nest, where he wrote about the Ravens and Orioles before joining RSR in 2012. Derek tells anybody who asks that he has the best job in the world.
Follow Derek on Twitter: @BMoreBirdsNest More from Derek Arnold

Lombardi’s Way - A column from the 24×7 founder that focuses on the Ravens, the NFL, Baltimore, the world of sports or life’s inspirations.

Word on The Street - In the spirit of the CBS Sports Minute with Boomer Esiason, RSR brings you Word on The Street, a 90 second (or less) podcast on topics exclusively relating to the Baltimore Ravens.

Ravens Links - We’ll give you the best stories about the Ravens from around the web three times per week.

Fanimal Crackers - If you are an animal about the Baltimore Ravens, then you are a Fanimal! Follow the Russell Street Report blog Fanimal Crackers!

The Edgar Awards - The Edgar Awards will range from the Maryland county that is home to the best Ravens fans to the best Ravens podcast; from the best collection of displaced fans to the best local craft brews that should be part of your next tailgating party.

The Road to RSR - Our writers explains their journeys as fans and how they came to write for our little corner of sports media.